Greetings, readers:
Thank you for reading this fan-made work...
"I hope you enjoy today's chapter." I, Wissumi Wizaki, wish you a happy reading
1046 B.N. — September 1
The silence in the main hall of the headquarters was not one of peace, but of tense and heavy anticipation.
At the head of the immense noble-wood table, Lesuya Luciano Sawada Gravina —Giotto— waited motionless. The only sound breaking the dimness was the rhythmic, slow, and constant tapping of his index finger against the polished surface. Each tap echoed like the ticking of a clock before a storm.
Little by little, those present began taking their places. The Guardians entered first: G, with the burning gaze and firm posture of one who always guards the Sky's right flank; Ugetsu, maintaining a sober serenity, but with the shadow of the recent defeat still etched into his soul; Knuckle, his face darkened and his fists rigid; and young Lampow, strikingly silent in the face of the grave atmosphere.
They were joined by the body of key administrators and strategists: Haru, Sana, Reijiro, Takeshi, and Daiki. Each took a seat with calculated movements, recognizing that the meeting that had been called was not a simple routine update.
When the last of them took his place, Giotto's finger stopped tapping against the table. Absolute silence once again took hold of the room.
Giotto raised his gaze. His golden, deep eyes swept over each person present before breaking the ice with an executive calm that sent a chill down their spines.
—Well. This is the first time something has slipped out of our hands at this level within the organization —he began, his tone soft but filled with authority—. It seems someone has been pulling the strings from the shadows with the direct intention of challenging us. And if that is what they seek... we will give them the fight they are asking for.
A unanimous and firm nod went around the table. The determination on the team's faces was absolute.
However, instead of moving directly to the war plans, Giotto's gaze slowly shifted toward his right-hand man. His expression softened with a hint of analytical nostalgia as he addressed G, switching to his native language, a fluent and elegant Italian that everyone immediately recognized:
—Tell me, G... do you remember that time when the old Vongola family, when an enemy family tried to deceive you, and you yourself went to demand an explanation?
G blinked slightly, surprised by the evocation of that memory, but answered with the usual frankness of his deep voice:
—How could I forget, Primo? I felt unbearable humiliation and blind rage. However, I was the one who had to resolve it myself to clear that disgrace. In the end, I think it was the right decision. If we had involved the entire family in that conflict, things would have become infinitely more complex and chaotic... don't you think?
—That's right. You chose the most difficult path, but the wisest one by using your potential —Giotto nodded, interlacing his hands over the table—. What do you think?
Knuckle kept his gaze lowered, silently reflecting on the analogy. But Ugetsu, whose sharp spirit allowed him to read the undercurrents in his leader's words, immediately understood the parallel.
The Rain Guardian silently stood up. He pulled back his chair and, under the gaze of everyone present, knelt on one knee, lowering his head with profound solemnity.
—I'm sorry, Boss... —Ugetsu said, his voice filled with genuine and humble remorse—. The responsibility for this failure falls entirely on my shoulders. I have failed the family.
Giotto let out a long sigh. He turned slightly in his leather chair, briefly raising his gaze toward the vaulted ceiling before fixing a warm and understanding look upon the kneeling swordsman.
—Relax, Ugetsu... raise your head —Giotto replied softly, giving him a sincere smile—. This was not an indirect message aimed at you.
—It wasn't an indirect message, Ugetsu. Quite the opposite —Giotto continued, sketching a perceptive smile as he rested his elbows on the polished wood—. Your situation has just given me an excellent idea.
Ugetsu raised his gaze, attentive.
—You and Haru will go directly to the Land of Fire —Giotto ordered in a calm but indisputable voice—. Decide whether the best approach is silent infiltration or a formal arrival, but I want you to enter the upper echelons of their society. Investigate everything related to the royal court, the king, his brother Prince Yaskar, any organization pulling strings from the shadows, and above all, that monkey boy. My intuition tells me that if you are the one who goes there, you will be able to untangle many of the knots that enemy has drawn us into.
Hearing his leader's words, Ugetsu rose elegantly. He took out his fan with a smooth and flawless movement, snapping it open before fanning himself leisurely.
—I understand, Boss —Ugetsu replied, drawing a slight smile of acceptance—. I believe it is an extremely sound strategy.
—Furthermore —Giotto added—, I want you to take some of the young boys who show potential for espionage with you. It is time for our intelligence network to begin formally expanding across the continent.
—So it shall be done. The sooner I set out, the better —the Rain Guardian nodded.
—Exactly. While the traces of the conflict are still fresh, you will have more opportunities to discover what the enemy is trying to conceal. It will give you room to move before a war consumes us. I feel that war can still be avoided, but my intuition warns me that if we do not act now to stop it, the conflict will be inevitable. We have to act now, boys.
A unanimous nod went around the room. The tension in the atmosphere began to ease little by little. Giotto leaned back against the backrest of his imposing chair, relaxing his posture.
—From this moment onward, we will divide ourselves into two fronts —Giotto explained—. On one side, we will await Ugetsu's investigation reports and progress. On the other, we will prepare for the possibility of a second direct attack against us, in case their true objective from the beginning was the Vongola Family.
Giotto paused dramatically. His gaze lit up with a different, almost mystical quality.
—Although there is something else... Something positive that came from this confrontation.
He extended the palm of his right hand over the table. From nowhere, a faint violet mist began to swirl until it materialized into a small object: a glowing seed of a deep purple color.
The eyes of everyone present settled upon the artifact.
—The System granted me this after the battle —Giotto revealed—. I obtained the Cloud Seed. Apparently, the entity recognized that we have just faced our first truly worthy enemy, and this is the reward.
—Really, Boss? —Knuckle exclaimed, surprised by the discovery.
—That's right. Which means that by next year, we will have Alaudi back with us. We must have everything prepared for his arrival. Remember how meticulous he is when it comes to espionage and independent investigation, so I want everything to be perfectly arranged by the time he returns.
1046 B.N. — September 3
Meanwhile, at an undetermined point between the frigid borders of the Land of Iron and the Land of Ancestors, Kaien's hidden fortress stood.
Saruo crossed the threshold of the main hall, his tail swaying gently as he still felt the weight of his confrontation with the Guardian of the Rain. At the top of the dais, Kaien —his father and leader— received him with a cold but satisfied smile.
—Good, very well done, Saruo. My boy —Kaien said, leaning back in his wooden and iron throne—. You gave those people an excellent battle. Although, according to the reports that reached me, the fight ended in a draw.
Saruo instinctively frowned and crossed his arms.
—A draw? No, Father. I had the advantage. I simply... I don't think I took my opponent entirely seriously.
Kaien raised an eyebrow and let out a faint snort filled with skepticism.
—Well, well... if you say so. But remember that you only faced one of their generals. According to the sources, the leader of that organization is infinitely more dangerous, Saruo. I think you're going to have to train much harder from now on.
—Yes, Father —the young monkey nodded, although a doubt had begun gnawing at him from within. He remained silent for a second before asking—: But... wasn't the one I fought the leader? The description the soldiers gave me matched that of someone important.
—A boy who dresses like a sophisticated noble, right? —Kaien interrupted.
—Yes, him.
—Unfortunately not. He isn't the leader —Kaien explained, drumming his fingers against the armrest—. I've heard about him from several nobles I've extorted. That boy is practically the diplomat of the Vongola. What's alarming about that organization is that all of its high-ranking figures are merely children between nine and twelve years old. It surprises me greatly that, at that age, they possess such a level of intellect and tactical ability... They are an extremely peculiar group, and I must admit that they make me uneasy. I want to destroy them as quickly as possible.
Kaien paused, narrowing his eyes coldly.
—At least we have one certainty: Prince Yaskar is dead.
Upon hearing those words, Saruo's heart gave a violent jolt inside his chest. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, controlling every pulse and every breath to prevent his father from detecting the falseness of his report. He knew how meticulous Kaien was when it came to uncovering lies, but this time, the lie about the prince's whereabouts and survival was a dangerous game Saruo had decided to play on his own.
To his relief, Kaien did not notice the slight stiffness in his son's posture and continued tracing his mental map.
—Yaskar's death is the key piece. This will trigger a devastating diplomatic conflict between the Land of Lomo and the Land of Fire. When the Land of Fire concludes its military campaign in the East, it will turn absolutely all of its attention toward crushing the Land of Lomo. Things are going to become far too complicated for them; the military pressure will be unbearable, and that organization —their damned escort company— will weaken under the weight of the war.
Kaien's eyes filled with dark ambition.
—We have to take advantage of that distraction to attack their main base again and seize all their secrets, Saruo.
Saruo's eyes lit up, feigning the enthusiasm his father expected to see in him.
—Then we'll attack again, Father?
—Yes. But this time, we'll go all out —Kaien declared with a calculating smile—. We'll wait until next year.
—Next year? —Saruo repeated.
—That's right. I'll use my contacts in the shadows to pull the necessary strings. I'll make the Land of Fire start pressuring and intimidating the Land of Lomo as soon as possible, drowning them in paranoia. While they look toward the border, we'll strike the final blow from the shadows.
Kaien's hidden fortress was a monument to abandonment and brute force, erected in a forgotten gorge where the icy winds of the Land of Iron collided with the perpetual mists of the Land of Ancestors. The black stone walls, dampened by the night's frost, returned the distant echo of underground currents. Greenish flames crackled in the corridors, casting elongated shadows that danced like specters over the conquest maps spread across the dais.
In that frigid environment, Saruo's reaction burst forth with an almost disturbing contrast.
Upon hearing his father's words about next year's attack, the boy did more than simply nod: his face lit up with an overflowing, spontaneous, and unrestrained emotion. A broad, radiant, and strangely euphoric smile spread across his features, far surpassing Kaien's cold and calculating expression.
—All right, Dad! —Saruo exclaimed, his eyes shining beneath the flickering torchlight and his tail wagging with a frantic rhythm of anticipation—. I'm going to train until my body can't take it anymore! Next year is going to be something great... simply gigantic.
Kaien watched his son for a second. The boy's excessive joy seemed to him like a trait of natural savagery, the pure thirst for battle of his lineage, so he did not suspect the storm of secrets that truly drove Saruo's heart.
—That's the attitude I want to see —Kaien declared, rising to his feet. His enormous silhouette eclipsed the light of the dais as he walked toward the arched window overlooking the depths of the gorge—. Start tomorrow at dawn. There will be no rest.
Beyond the window, the mist over the mountains along the border grew thicker, foreshadowing the storm that, in a year, would fall upon the Land of Lomo and the Vongola Family.
After Saruo's departure, the echo of his hurried footsteps quickly faded into the frigid corridor. In the dimness of the main hall, a shadow detached itself from the black stone walls: it was Masanobu, Kaien's right-hand man and one of the few founding members who knew the organization's true roots from its beginnings.
Masanobu advanced with silent footsteps until he stopped beside the dais, his gaze fixed on the mist seeping through the window.
—I see Saruo is still as impetuous as ever —Kaien broke the silence without turning around—. Tell me the truth, Masanobu... Is what the soldiers reported about the confrontation true? Did Saruo disregard the original plan and decide to attack head-on? His appearance wasn't because of a tactical emergency, but because he wanted to test his strength directly against the Vongola, am I wrong?
—You're not wrong, Boss. Apparently, that's how it happened —Masanobu replied in a deep, measured voice—. Everything indicates that he has developed some kind of rivalry or personal fixation toward those children.
—I see... —Kaien let out a faint laugh devoid of any warmth—. Well, looking at it from the positive side, this will give him the motivation he needs to train like a demon and find a way to crush them next year.
Masanobu hesitated for a second before adding:
—However, Boss... the troops and mercenaries have begun to whisper about Saruo's appearance. It's... unusual. If someone decides to investigate his origins or his past too deeply, it could become dangerous for us.
Kaien narrowed his eyes. The torchlight accentuated the rigidity of his face as he stared intently at his subordinate.
—Unusual? In this world, rarity is relative, Masanobu. There are colossal slugs that can reason, frogs that form pacts with humans, dogs that carry out complex orders, and snakes with intelligence. A talking ape is nothing more than another strange legend in this war-torn continent. So relax. Besides... there are only a handful of people who know that boy's exact origins. Only you and I remain from that group from ten years ago.
—I know, Boss —Masanobu nodded, although a shadow of caution crossed his face—. But... if for some reason Saruo were to discover the truth about his past... we would have to eliminate him. And losing him would mean destroying one of our most destructive offensive assets.
The air in the hall turned glacial. Kaien did not blink.
—If Saruo discovers the truth, he will instantly become our enemy. And I don't want an enemy with his potential breathing; I'd rather have him dead. No matter how much I raised him under my roof and gave him a home, at the end of the day, he is nothing more than a weapon. An instrument designed to serve my ambitions.
Kaien slightly turned his face, fixing a stern gaze on his trusted man.
—That's why I want you to keep an extremely close eye on him, Masanobu. Watch his every impulsive action and don't take your eyes off him.
—Understood, Boss. I won't stray from the task —Masanobu gave a brief bow before turning around and silently retreating into the dimness of the corridors.
Alone in the vastness of the hall, Kaien gazed at the darkness that enveloped the valley. A cold, confident smile formed on his lips as he murmured to himself:
—Next year... next year will be simply incredible.
..
1045 B.N. — April 4
Time passed inexorably. Days turned into months, and the months eventually shaped a new year.
Despite the rapidly approaching shadow of an imminent war against the Fire Empire —the largest, most expansionist, and most hostile kingdom on the entire continent— and the persistent threat of an enemy faction hidden in the shadows, the leadership of the Vongola Family never wavered. At the center of it all, Giotto remained unshakable, guiding the organization with an almost unnatural serenity.
Deep within his being, two souls coexisted in perfect harmony. However, in times of extreme diplomatic pressure and the threat of war, Sawada's facade gave way to Luciano Gravina's absolute dominance. Lesuya waited for his moment to be useful. To be a Vongola leader, his silence was not an absence of noise, but the most powerful tool of control a leader could possess. Under the influence of that calculating, cold mind and hyperintuition, Giotto reached his true tactical peak: he worked twice as hard, anticipating every political and military scenario like a master moving pieces across a chessboard.
Even Lampo himself, usually carefree and mischievous, began to tone down his jokes. Seeing the intensity with which Giotto refined the organization's defenses and intelligence network, the young Guardian understood that these were not times for games.
Thus, after months of patient work, Giotto reached the age of ten.
The routine at the main headquarters was interrupted by the arrival of a messenger hawk from the distant eastern lands. It carried the long-awaited correspondence from Ugetsu and Haru, who had already been operating abroad for more than seven months.
Ugetsu, maintaining constant communication through coded letters, reported the success of his infiltration plan. Thanks to the massive sums of gold that Giotto had supplied him with —and continued sending him regularly—, the Guardian of the Rain had not entered the Land of Fire as just another foreigner, but as a prosperous and distinguished overseas merchant. He had founded a thriving trading firm that had opened the doors of the high aristocracy wide to him, allowing him to mingle with nobles, diplomats, and high-ranking military commanders.
At the same time, with the coldness that characterized her, Haru used the company's façade to weave a dense network of espionage through the alleys of the underworld.
It was precisely at that intersection between court intrigues and rumors from the streets that Ugetsu managed to fish out a crucial piece of information.
Among the shadows, a widely whispered secret circulated: Prince Yaskar —whom the entire continent believed to have been tragically kidnapped or executed by the monkey boy's gang— was not being held captive. The rumors suggested that the prince was moving freely, protected but hidden, moving like a ghost through the lands of his own empire.
Sitting behind his dark wooden desk, Giotto leaned back against his armchair. He held Ugetsu's letter between his fingers, and a faint, sober, and calculating smile appeared on his lips.
If Yaskar was not a hostage, but rather an accomplice or an independent player, then the kidnapping story was a complete façade. And if the prince was still alive and free, Giotto knew that sooner or later, Ugetsu would find a way to intercept him and extract every last drop of information about the monkey boy and his mysterious organization.
However, not everything was rosy.
A month earlier, the King of the Land of Fire had sent Kiku a hostile letter, formally declaring war on him. The pretext was the Land of Lomo's absolute incompetence in protecting his brother, Prince Yaskar, who had traveled under the supposed pretense of diplomacy and hospitality. The monarch categorically refused to believe the implausible story about a monkey boy carrying out the kidnapping. In fact, not even the four loyal escorts accompanying Yaskar had the opportunity to appeal or support their testimony: the king, blinded by rage and suspicion, ordered all of them to be hanged without mercy.
Giotto let out a long sigh as he reread the reports from the border. Despite the drumbeat of war sounding in the distance, the young leader maintained an overwhelming tactical advantage. The Land of Lomo was a nearly impenetrable geological fortress.
Any empire that attempted to invade it would pay an astronomical price in gold, logistics, and lives. The kingdom was surrounded by a natural wall of steep and treacherous mountain ranges, sheltering flat valleys covered by dense ancient forests within. Crossing those mountains with a regular army was a strategic nightmare. There were, of course, a couple of lower-altitude passes through which infantry and cavalry could attempt to penetrate, but Giotto had already transformed those routes into veritable gorges of death. They were perfect traps for ambushing enemy vanguards; attempting to cross them was equivalent to a mass execution. It would take the Land of Fire years of campaigning and a bloody war of attrition just to tear through the first defensive line.
Thanks to the nature of the terrain and his impeccable planning, Giotto's calm was almost excessive.
While he patiently waited for the moves on the international chessboard, he did not waste his time. He continued subjecting himself to brutal training, refining the purity and control of his Dying Will Flames, while simultaneously expanding the Vongola Family's influence at the foundations of the underworld, meticulously completing the System's missions.
Giotto knew that, as he completed these directives, he would not only unlock his Guardians' Seeds, but would also progressively recover the pinnacle of power he had possessed in his previous life. He was convinced that, once he reached that state, no one in this world would have the ability to defeat him.
Even so, Luciano Gravina's soul kept his senses alert: no matter how absolute his power was, a true leader never lowers his guard.
The mansion stood isolated in the eastern hills, several leagues from the suffocating capital of the Fire Empire. Protected by a dense bamboo forest and guards paid directly from the royal treasury, the residence was a luxurious refuge... which, for Prince Yaskar, had become a golden cage.
On a polished wooden terrace overlooking a koi pond, Yaskar remained reclined on silk cushions, holding a glass of wine that he barely tasted. The atmosphere was serene, but his face showed nothing but boredom.
He was not a man born for isolation. Yaskar was a libertine prince by nature: a lover of the bustle of the markets, the wild nights in the capital's entertainment districts, abundant wine, beautiful women, and the constant recognition of his status among the crowds. Being the center of attention and living in absolute prosperity was his true element.
Now, however, the tactical game he had gotten himself into alongside Saruo forced him to live like a ghost.
—Seven months... —he muttered in frustration, throwing the rest of the wine toward the koi in the pond—. Seven damn months living like a fugitive in my own kingdom and among my own family.
Although he understood that his "disappearance" had been the perfect fuse to force his brother, the King, to declare war on the Land of Lomo and put the Vongola Family against the ropes, the voluntary captivity was beginning to wear down his nerves. He missed the court festivities, the licentious life, and the freedom to spend gold without having to explain himself to the guards watching the perimeter.
Suddenly, the soft crunch of a footstep on the tall grass caught his attention.
Yaskar straightened slightly, adjusting the silk robe over his shoulders. The guards at the entrance had not raised the alarm, but his instincts told him that the presence at the edge of the terrace did not belong to the servants.
An elegant silhouette emerged from the shadows of the bamboo. A young man dressed in the finest noble garments, carrying a closed fan between his fingers and three short blades strapped to his waist. His blue eyes, as calm as the surface of a lake before the rain, fixed directly on the prince.
Ugetsu had found his target.
The air on the terrace grew dense, almost suffocating.
Yaskar, still dazed by the interruption of his forced retreat, tried to sit up abruptly, but a sharp tug around his throat stopped him. A thin garrote wire tightened with the millimetric precision of an executioner. Right behind him, emerging from nowhere, the small Haru held the wire with a cold and sinister smile that contrasted sharply with Ugetsu's serene posture.
—H-How...? —Yaskar managed to articulate, his voice strained by the pressure around his neck—. How are you here? How did you find me?
Ugetsu unfolded his fan with a leisurely motion, looking down at him from above like someone observing a misplaced chess piece.
—Well, well, look who we have here... The very same prince who was our host some time ago —Ugetsu said in a soft tone marked by elegant irony—. Our Boss is going to love this news.
—How the hell did you find me!? —Yaskar repeated, trying to swallow without the wire digging into his skin.
—It's quite simple —the Guardian of the Rain replied, lightly fanning himself—. We've been operating in this empire for months. And a person with your inclinations... so devoted to debauchery, the good life, and vice, is simply impossible to hide completely from the underworld. Don't you think?
Yaskar's face paled. A cold sweat began to form on his forehead.
—What... what are you going to do with me? —he stammered, trembling—. Are you going to hand me over to my brother? Will you tell him the truth?
Ugetsu gently shook his head, keeping his gaze fixed on his eyes.
—No, no. You're coming back with us to the Land of Lomo. Our Boss has many important questions to ask you.
Yaskar's pupils dilated monstrously. Panic seized his chest as he processed the fate awaiting him beyond the borders of his kingdom.
—Wait... what do you mean you're not taking me to my brother!? —he exclaimed desperately—. What are you going to do with me over there? Are you going to torture me!?
Haru, tilting her head slightly from behind, tightened the wire another millimeter and drew a grimace devoid of all empathy.
—Perhaps —Haru interjected in a calm, sharp voice—. That's what usually happens to prisoners who keep secrets.
Ugetsu raised an eyebrow at his subordinate, but did not contradict her. He silently observed the prince's reaction, letting terror do the heavy lifting.
—WAIT! WAIT, PLEASE! —Yaskar pleaded, raising his hands in a gesture of absolute surrender—. I can tell you everything! Everything, everything, everything! I... I made a deal with the monkey boy. But listen, I can't leave here recklessly just yet. If they discover me outside, that ape is going to complicate everything, and things will spiral out of control in this country if he starts talking... But if you help me, I'll tell you absolutely everything. Crucial things that even the monkey boy himself doesn't know.
—You want us to make a deal with you? —Ugetsu inquired, clasping his hands behind his back.
—Yes! I'll give you all the information I have about that organization —Yaskar stated hurriedly, realizing that his life hung by a thread—. Now that you're here and you've crossed my defenses without making a sound, I can see the situation clearly: you're going to win. I have a feeling that Cain and his gang are going to lose this battle sooner or later, and I have no intention of going down with them.
Ugetsu narrowed his eyes upon hearing the unfamiliar name.
—Hmm... Kaien? Who is Kaien?
—He's the leader of the gang —Yaskar revealed without hesitation—. The monkey boy's true boss.
—I understand... —Ugetsu nodded, putting his fan into his belt and giving Haru a subtle signal to loosen the pressure of the garrote—. Now tell us in detail about that gang. Don't leave out a single name.
Freed from the pressure around his throat, Yaskar fell to his knees on the polished wood and began speaking hurriedly. He revealed the hidden structure of the enemy faction, the true intentions behind the staged kidnapping, the political strings they were attempting to pull between the empires, and the dark history behind the slavery and extortion network operating along the borders.
Both Ugetsu and Haru watched the fluent confession in absolute silence, memorizing every piece of information, every route, and every name involved.
When the account came to an end, Haru looked at Ugetsu with a spark of cold satisfaction in her eyes. The information was not merely useful: it was an explosive artifact on the geopolitical chessboard. A tactical bomb that would give Giotto total control over his enemies' future movements.
…
1045 B.N. — April 9
Ugetsu and Haru, having extracted every last secret from the terrified Prince Yaskar's lips, left him confined within his own golden cage under their own close but invisible surveillance. Without wasting a single moment, they began the journey back toward the Land of Lomo.
It was five days of uninterrupted travel through mountain passes, dense forest trails, and heavily guarded borders. After completing the exhausting journey, the two finally crossed the walls of the Vongola headquarters.
Giotto received them with genuine and reassuring warmth. After ensuring that they were well, he immediately called an emergency meeting in the main hall, gathering all his Guardians and the Administrators around the large wooden table.
With everyone's attention fixed on him, Ugetsu stepped forward. With his usual elegance, he recounted his journey: from his infiltration into the high society of the Land of Fire and the weaving of his network in the underworld, to the discovery and subsequent interrogation of Prince Yaskar. He revealed every detail of the conspiracy, the false death, the diplomatic manipulations, and, above all, the tragic truth behind the mercenary gang led by Kaien.
A deathly silence fell over the room as the report concluded.
Giotto lowered his head, letting out a long and heavy sigh. There was no hatred in his golden eyes, but rather a deep and melancholy compassion.
—What a tragic fate... —Giotto murmured, thinking of Saruo—. I truly feel sorry for that monkey boy. He has been fighting alongside a man who possibly destroyed his family and home, only to raise him as a disposable instrument.
Giotto placed his hands on the table and slowly stood up, projecting a magnanimous and awe-inspiring presence.
—However, this information completely changes our chessboard —he continued, his voice calm but imbued with absolute authority—. With this, we not only have the key to turning an enemy into an ally, but also the opportunity to eradicate Kaien, one of the most ruthless and influential leaders of the primitive underworld in the east of this continent. By defeating him, we will not only protect our family; we will mark a before and after in the history of this world. From that moment on, nobles, kings, and great powers will understand our true weight and will take us very seriously.
A murmur of firm agreement spread among the Guardians and Administrators. The eyes of G, Knuckle, Haru, and the others shone with renewed determination.
—Now we have the advantage —Giotto concluded, staring intently at his team—. Prepare yourselves well, guys. It is time to build an unbreakable foundation for what is to come.
…
1045 B.N. — May 2
It was a cool day in early May. The sky was heavily covered by a vast procession of light clouds traveling in harmonious motion, weaving a canvas where deep blue and pure white merged in constant movement.
Suddenly, the Cloud Seed that Giotto was guarding began to react.
The phenomenon was simply mystical, a spectacle of primordial magic. The seed rose a couple of meters above the ground, floating in the air as it emitted a purple glow of cosmic intensity. Above, in the celestial vault, the procession of scattered clouds halted its course. As if driven by an invisible tide, the dense currents of vapor began descending in a spiral, turning in a majestic vortex that connected the sky with the earth. Sunlight filtered through the violet mist, creating a spectral radiance. The clouds condensed around the glowing core, increasing in volume until they molded the silhouette of an imposing and mysterious adult man, only to then shrink and stabilize their mass into the physique of a thirteen-year-old teenager.
When the vortex of vapor dissipated with an icy sigh, the purple veil opened.
There, standing upon the grass, was Alaudi.
The First Guardian of the Cloud wore his characteristic composure: an icy gaze of steel-blue eyes, light blond hair falling over an expressionless face, and a posture that radiated absolute independence, almost detached from earthly existence. True to the intrinsic nature of the Cloud Flame —Propagation and the untamable freedom that rejects all bonds—, his presence commanded a chilling respect. Unlike a devoted subordinate, Alaudi stood as a force of his own, a lone wolf whose loyalty to the Vongola had never been one of submission, but rather an alliance between independent wills.
The reactions among those present immediately revealed the group's complex dynamics.
Knuckle jumped for joy, shifting between excitement and enthusiasm at seeing the first generation finally become complete. At the other end, however, G maintained a cautious distance; he crossed his arms and clenched his jaw, knowing perfectly well the independent and distant nature of the newcomer. Ugetsu, for his part, adopted a thoughtful posture, slowly fanning himself as he analyzed the individual with a serene but calculating smile.
Meanwhile, Lampo remained somewhat indifferent, because the cloud was far from being a thunderbolt in the great sky, but it was still part of a cycle.
For the body of Administrators —Haru, Daiki, Sana, and the others—, the scene was revealing. They immediately noticed the marked divide between the traditional Guardians and this new member. Takeshi and Reijiro exchanged reserved glances: it was evident that the relationship between Alaudi and the Vongola Family was not based on ordinary brotherhood, but on a pact between equals, a strategic alliance of mutual convenience and distant respect, very similar to the bond that centuries later Kyōya Hibari would maintain with the Tenth Generation, but with an even more sober and mature nuance.
Giotto stepped forward. There was no exuberant embrace or open laughter, only a gaze imbued with a deep and melancholy nostalgia.
—Welcome back, Alaudi —Giotto said in a soft voice, gilded by the warmth of his intuition.
Alaudi did not respond with words of courtesy. He slightly adjusted the collar of his garment, keeping his cold eyes fixed on Giotto. He was the leader of his own intelligence network, a man who belonged to no one and answered to no king, but who had found in Giotto's Sky the only horizon vast enough to allow him to wander freely.
—You're still just as annoying, Giotto... —Alaudi murmured in a low, cutting voice, although deep within his blue gaze was the unspoken recognition of the pact that bound them…
...
Author's Note:
Hello, my dear readers! 👋
First of all, I want to sincerely apologize for the delay and this long hiatus. I know how frustrating waiting for new chapters can be for you.
To be completely honest, the main reason for my delay was that I got totally hooked on a TV show: The Walking Dead. It's quite long, but as a big fan of One Piece and shōnen in general, I really enjoy long series and got completely absorbed in it.
However, getting into this show was actually quite inspiring. It gave me some great ideas that I might apply to this story in the future—especially regarding the gangster vibe, faction dynamics, and character development... but well, that's another story.
The main thing is: the new chapter is finally here! Plus, to make it up to you, I'm planning to push out several chapters and will likely publish another one sometime this week.
Thank you so much for your patience and for continuing to support this story.
...
Happy reading! Bye-bye!
— Wissumi Wizaki
Until the next chapter!